Louisville is quickly becoming one of the most popular cities for young families in the south. Whether your family loves sports, food, interactive learning experiences, or outdoor activities, Louisville offers a variety of family-friendly activities for children of all ages. Because there are so many options, our staff at the Gardner School of Louisville wanted to share some of our list of the top 10 things to do with kids in and around the Louisville area.
Top 10 Things to Do With Kids In Louisville
Here are a few of our favorite family-friendly destinations in Louisville that have activities for kids of all ages.
- The Louisville Zoo. Lions, tigers, and bears? Oh, yes! Louisville has one of the best zoos in the southeast. In addition to cool exhibits like the four-acre Gorilla Forest and Splash Park, the zoo also offers a variety of educational opportunities including zookeeper talks and animal demonstrations.
- The Kentucky Science Center. The largest hands-on science center in Kentucky, Louisville’s Kentucky Science Center offers an interactive learning environment with endless exhibits and demonstrations (geared mostly to children 10 and under). Its highly-involved environment allows children to play and have fun while teaching them at the same time.
- The Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. This is a must-visit stop for sports lovers. During the factory tour, you can watch Louisville sluggers being cranked out (the factory makes a million bats a year). At the end of the tour, you also receive your own mini Louisville Slugger as a souvenir. If you had something a wee bit bigger in mind, you can order a personalized bat with your kid’s name engraved on it. Additionally, kids under 5 get in free.
- Louisville Slugger Field. In addition to the Museum, Louisville is also home of the Louisville Bats (a triple-A baseball team) who play their home games at Slugger Field. The team offers a Kids Club Membership for families who want to attend regularly. If you want to check out a single game, go on Sundays. Kids eat free (a hot dog, nachos, and small soda) and can also run the bases.
- The Louisville Nature Center. With wildflower gardens, hiking trails, picnic tables, and an education center, the Louisville Nature Center is a beautiful place for your family to escape and enjoy the outdoors. The center also hosts regular events, including Parents Night Out and Summer Camps from ages for 4-12.
- Gheens Science Hall & Rauch Planetarium. In a galaxy not so far away, Gheens Planetarium is a great place to visit for space-loving families. In addition to a wide variety of public shows for audiences of all ages, University of Louisville’s planetarium offers exciting kids programs throughout the year, from summer camps to Cosmic Explorer Workshops.
- Head to the Farm. Just a few miles outside Louisville, Locust Grove and Huber’s Farm both offer a variety of family-friendly activities. For history lovers, Locust Grove offers a step back in time as a 55-acre farm once owned by the brother of Louisville’s founder, George Rogers Clark. Huber’s Farm is more of a fun getaway offering a barnyard experience that includes a 40-foot barnyard tunnel slide, a giant inflatable slide, a Billy Goat Walk, a Cow train, pony rides, and more.
- Louisville Mega Cavern. Located in a 100-acre former limestone quarry, Louisville Mega Cavern is a 17-mile man-made underground cavern that is now home to the world’s only underground zip line. It’s a great tour for all ages, whether you want to learn about science and history or simply want to experience being in a giant man-made cavern.
- The Louisville Public Library. Whether you’re looking to dive into a good book or for a rainy day activity, chances are you’ll love spending it at one of the beautiful Louisville Public Library locations. The library has storytimes for a variety of ages at all 18 branches, featuring stories, activities, crafts, songs, dancing, and more! Check out their full schedule of storytimes, and plan your next adventure today!
- Schimpff’s Confectionery. For families with a sweet tooth, Schimpff’s Confectionery is a must-stop destination right across the river from downtown Louisville. One of the oldest family-owned candy businesses in America (1891), Schimpff’s has live candy-making demonstrations and even a candy museum.
Whatever activities your family enjoys doing together, Louisville has a variety of destinations you should visit. For families in the Louisville area, be sure to like to The Gardner School of Louisville’s Facebook page for new and exciting activities for your kids.
